More from NBC

'Reversal of Fortune', Part 2

Kathleen's sister, Candace, begins to think Michael knows more than he is letting on about her sister's death. The police have their suspicions too.

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

KATHLEEN PETERSON'S SISTER CANDACE ANSWERED THE PHONE. IT WAS HER BROTHER-IN-LAW MICHAEL WITH UNIMAGINABLE NEWS ABOUT KATHLEEN.
>> SHE HAD FALLEN DOWN THE STAIRS. IT WAS STILL VAGUE. WE COULDN'T TELL IF SHE FELL DOWN THE STAIRS OR FELL OFF A LADDER. THERE IS NO QUESTION I COULD THINK, ARE YOU SURE SHE'S DEAD?
>> YES, MICHAEL WAS SURE. CANDACE HEADED TO HER SISTER'S HOUSE, SHOCKED TO FIND POLICE EVERYWHERE.
>> THE WHOLE THING WAS SEALED OFF WITH CRIME SCENE TAPE. THIS IS A MANSION, HUGE PROPERTY.
>> THE POLICE WERE CAUTIONING HER NOT TO GO INSIDE.
>> THEY KEPT SAYING, YOU MAY NOT WANT TO GO IN. THERE IS SO MUCH BLOOD. THIS IS REALLY AWESOMELY SCARY.
>> BUT CANDACE NEEDED TO FIND SOMETHING TO BURY HER SISTER IN. SO AS SOON AS THE OFFICERS WOULD ALLOW, SHE ENTERS. THAT'S WHEN MICHAEL SHOWED HER THE BACK STAIRCASE WHERE HE SAID KATHLEEN HAD TAKEN THAT FATAL TUMBLE.
>> MY SISTER'S BLOOD IS WASHED IN POOLS UP AGAINST THE WALL. THERE IS BLOOD JUST EVERYWHERE.
>> AND NOW A DISTURBING THOUGHT TOOK ROOT IN CANDICE AND THEN BEGAN TO GROW. WHAT IF KATHLEEN'S DEATH WASN'T AN ACCIDENT? SHE COULDN'T GO THERE.
>> I STILL WANT TO BELIEVE IT WAS AN ACCIDENT. I DON'T WANT SOMETHING HORRIBLE TO HAPPEN.
>> BUT ALL THAT BLOOD, UP THE WALLS, COULD IT ALL BE FROM A FALL DOWN THE STAIRS? AND THAT'S PRECISELY WHAT WAS BUGGING THIS DETECTIVE EVER SINCE HE ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE THE DAY BEFORE IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS AFTER KATHLEEN DIED.
>> I'VE SEEN FALLS. I'VE HAD FAMILY MEMBERS FALL AND TO ME IT DID NOT LOOK ANYWHERE LIKE A FALL.
>> BUT THE MEDICAL EXAMINER WHO CAME TO THE HOUSE THOUGHT THAT KATHLEEN COULD POSSIBLY HAVE DIED FROM A FALL DOWN THE STAIRS.
>> HE COULD SEE SOME LACERATIONS OR FEEL SOME LACERATIONS ON THE BACK OF MRS. PETERSON'S HEAD, AND HE STATED THAT THIS COULD BE THE RESULT OF A FALL.
>> AND CERTAINLY THE EMTs HAD ENCOUNTERED A DISTRAUGHT MICHAEL PETERSON. HE WAS FOUND CRADLING KATHLEEN, CRYING SO HARD HE HAD TO BE PULLED AWAY. BUT STILL INVESTIGATORS WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT.
>> YOU KNOW, SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS BUT THAT SINCE THE PROCESS.
>> IT WOULD TAKE THE INVESTIGATORS THE BETTER PART TWO OF DAYS TO GO THROUGH THE 9,000 SQUARE FOOT HOUSE.
>> IT WAS, YOU KNOW, VERY TIME CONSUMING. YOU DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH IT REAL SPEEDY. YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU CROSS ALL YOUR Ts AND DOT ALL YOUR Is.
>> THE CRIME SCENE TECH STARTED BY PHOTOGRAPHING THE STAIRWELL. DOCUMENTING THE POOL OF BLOOD AND SPRAY UP THE WALL. OUTSIDE, DROPS ON THE WALKWAY ON THE FRONT DOOR. ON KATHLEEN'S BODY, A BLOODY SHOE PRINT ON THE BACK OF THE SWEAT PANTS. IN THE KITCHEN, BLOODSTAINS ON THE CABINET, UNDERNEATH A DROP OF BLOOD ON THE COUNTER. AND RIGHT BESIDE IT, AN OPEN WINE BOTTLE AND TWO GLASSES SUGGESTED THAT PERHAPS A NIGHT OF DRINKING HAD IN FACT LED TO A TUMBLE DOWN THE STAIRS. EVEN KATHLEEN'S DAUGHTER KAITLYN COULDN'T RULE IT OUT.
>> SHE KNEW HOW TO HOLD HER ALCOHOL. BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY SHE DIDN'T DRINK A LOT. SHE COULD EASILY DRINK A LARGE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL AND WAS UP UNTIL 2:00 IN THE MORNING.
>> MEANWHILE, MICHAEL PETERSON AND HIS KIDS HAD TAKEN REFUGE AT A NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE. MICHAEL AND HIS BROTHER BILL KEPT WATCH ON THE POLICE INVESTIGATION ACROSS THE STREET.
>> WE WALKED BY THE HOUSE SEVERAL TIMES TO SEE WHAT THE POLICE ARE DOING.
>> BILL, A LAWYER, ADVISED MICHAEL NOT TO TALK WITH THE COPS.
>> I'M THINKING AS AN ATTORNEY NOW. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. ALL I KNOW IS THE POLICE OBVIOUSLY THINK SOMETHING IS GOING ON.
>> BILL WORRIED IT WAS PAYBACK TIME. HE WAS CONCERNED THAT HIS BIG BROTHER HAD PUT A BULLS EYE ON HIS OWN BACK WITH THE COLUMNS HE WROTE FOR THE LOCAL PAPER. TURNED OUT HE OFTEN TARGETED THE COPS.
>> HE WAS EXTREMELY CRITICAL OF THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS.
>> HE GAVE THEM A STICK IN THE EYE?
>> CONSTANTLY.
>> SO HE WAS TAKING ON THE GOOD OLD BOY SYSTEM THERE?
>> VERY MUCH SO.
>> MICHAEL'S DAUGHTERS WERE ALSO WORRIED. THEY KNEW VERY WELL THEIR FATHER RELISHED BEING THE PROVOCATEUR. NOW THE POLICE WERE SWARMING THEIR HOUSE, WALKING THE YARD, LOOKING UNDER BUSHES AND TREES.
>> I REMEMBER FEELING THAT SOMETHING WAS GOING BADLY WITH THE POLICE.
>> IT WAS A FEW DAYS AFTER KATHLEEN'S DEATH WHETHER MICHAEL CALLED A FAMILY MEETING TO REASSURE THEM. HE TOLD THEM THAT NO MATTER WHAT THEY HEARD, NO MATTER WHAT THE POLICE TRIED TO CONCOCT, HE WHAT NEVER HAVE HURT KATHLEEN.
>> HE SPECIFICALLY WANTED US TO KNOW THAT HE DID NOT DO IT. AND HE TOLD US THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD BEEN THERE AND THEY HAD BEEN DRINKING. THAT HE HAD GONE OUT TO THE POOL. HE CAME BACK AND FOUND HER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS. I SAID WE BELIEVE YOU.
>> BUT WOULD THE POLICE? THEY SEEMED INTENT ON PEELING AWAY THE VENEER OF THE PETERSON'S MARRIAGE. WHAT WAS GOING ON BEHIND THE CLOSED DOORS IN THE MANSION ON CEDAR STREET?
>> THEY WERE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT KATHLEEN AND MICHAEL'S RELATIONSHIP AND IF I KNEW OF ANYTHING. I THOUGHT THEY WERE HAPPILY MARRIED. SHE WAS VERY MUCH IN LOVE WITH HIM.
>> BUT THE DETECTIVES WERE BEGINNING TO BELIEVE THE PERFECT MARRIAGE WAS ANYTHING BUT.